When to Seek Medical Care

For temporary, mild urethritis that comes from using a new soap or lotion, you may not need to see your health-care provider. But other cases of urethritis may need to be checked.

If you are experiencing pain with urination following a medical procedure, contact your health-care provider to discuss the need for evaluation or treatment. The pain may be an expected side effect of the procedure, or it may signify the beginning of an infection.

All other cases of burning with urination require medical attention within 24 hours.

Urethritis is probably not an emergency, but you will want to get relief promptly. If you are experiencing other signs of illness, such as fever, nausea, vomiting, back and abdominal pain, you may need emergency care. These symptoms could mean the infection has moved beyond the urethra. These potentially serious conditions require immediate evaluation by your doctor or in an emergency department.

If you have an object lodged in your urethra, or another injury to your penis, seek immediate medical care at a hospital's emergency department. These situations can progress rapidly into a life-threatening infection.